UN Public Service Day & Awards

Message from USG Liu Zhenmin on the launch of the UN Public Service Awards 2021

I am delighted to launch the nominations for the 2021 United Nations Public Service Awards. The Awards, supported by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), are an international recognition of excellence in public service. They recognize the innovation, creative achievements and contributions of public sector institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide.

Effective public service delivery and transparent, accountable, and inclusive institutions form the backbone of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Strengthening public institutions is essential to advancing progress in the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030.

As the world continues to grapple with the wide-ranging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the innovation, accountability and effectiveness of public administrations to respond to the crisis and to ensure a green, inclusive and sustainable recovery is more crucial than ever.

The pandemic has further underscored the need for governments and institutions to be better prepared for a crisis in all its forms. Whether a health pandemic, natural disaster, climate change, or economic shocks, governments at national and local levels and public institutions in all sectors must be prepared and ready for all such events, to ensure the continuation of efficient, inclusive and accountable public service delivery.

Throughout the pandemic, public servants in every realm have continued to work in innovative ways to ensure the delivery of services. Through these Awards, we wish to recognize the ongoing work of public institutions in continuing to work towards the SDGs.

We are delighted to continue our collaboration with UN Women for the 2021 process, cognizant of the fact that throughout the world, women have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening hard-won advances in closing gaps between women and men across all areas of development.

Mindful of the current context, four categories have been identified for nominations for the UNPSA 2021:

1. Fostering innovation to deliver inclusive and equitable services for all including through digital transformation.
2. Enhancing the effectiveness of public institutions to reach the SDGs.
3. Promoting gender-responsive public services to achieve the SDGs.
4. Institutional preparedness and response in times of crisis.

We look forward to your nominations.

~ Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

About the United Nations Public Service Awards and Day

The  United Nations Public Service Awards is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service.

The UN Public Service Day intends to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community; highlight the contribution of public service in the development process; recognize the work of public servants, and encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. Since the first Awards Ceremony in 2003, the United Nations has received an increasing number of submissions from all around the world.

Apply for the 2021 UNPSA

The 2021 United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA) is now open for nominations in the following categories:

1. Fostering innovation to deliver inclusive and equitable services for all including through digital transformation
2. Enhancing the effectiveness of public institutions to reach the SDGs
3. Promoting gender-responsive public services to achieve the SDGs
4. Institutional preparedness and response in times of crisis

The UNPSA is an annual Awards programme that recognizes excellence in public service at the local, regional and national levels. It promotes and rewards innovations and excellence in public service in support of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the principle of leaving no one behind. Public institutions at the subnational and national levels of all UN Member States are eligible to apply. In the case of public-private partnerships, the lead candidate must be a public sector institution. The deadline for submitting nominations is November 24, 2020. To apply, click here.

UNPSA 2021 Webinar 6 October

On 6 October 2020 UNDESA/DPIDG held a webinar on the UNPSA highlighting the work of the seven 2020 UNPSA winners and holding a technical session on how to apply for the 2021 process. The webinar is available to view in English here.